TIRUPPAVADA SEVA & POOLANGI SEVA (ON THURSDAYS)(05:00 AM)
(COST
RS 850/- PER PERSON, PRASADAM : 1 BIG LADDU, 1 VADA, 1
JILEBI,
1 TENTOLA, PULIHORA AND 1 UTTARIYAM OR 1 BLOUSE
PIECE)
Every Thursday, after
the morning pooja, the Mula Virat is divested of all
ornaments, flowers
etc. The deity will be draped only in Dhoti and Uttareeyam.
The Thirunamam Kaappu
and Kasturi on the forehead of the main deity are also
reduced in size. This
results in the unique posture of Lord where one can witness
the peculiar Netra
Darshan (where the divine eyes of the Lord can be seen) of the
main deity.
During other days the
wide Namam with which the Lord's forehead is adorned,
covers almost half of
his eyes. But on Thursday morning we can have the full view
of the benign eyes of
the main deity. On Thursdays Thiruppavada Seva is
performed as arjitha
Seva in the Mantapam in front of the Bangaru Vakili and
Annakutotsavam (where
heaps of tamarind rice is poured) is performed.
A large rectangular
tub - like golden vessel is placed in the Mantapam and a huge
quantity of
“Pulihora”-tamarind rice, along with other sweet preparations such as
payasam, laddu,
jilebi, thenthola, appam etc and other delicacies are deposited
thereon with
coconuts, flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, deepam and is placed in
that trapezoid
receptacle to be offered as naivedya to the Lord.
Amidst chanting of
Mantras, the previous wide Naamam is peeled off and a thin
Naamam is adorned on
the forehead of Mula Virat just to cover the space between
His eyebrows. When
this happens, it is believed that the Lord's first gaze after
"opening"
His Eyes (because they were covered by the Naamam earlier) should not
fall on mortals,
because it has huge power that could not be withstand by humans.
Instead, it is made
to fall on the mound of "Pulihora" directly in front of Him,
thereby sanctifying
it and reducing the intensity of His Gaze. The "Pulihora"
therefore acts like a
Veil ("Paavada" in Telugu/Tamil) protecting devotees from
His Powerful Gaze.
POOLANGI SEVA: After
the Tiruppavadai Seva, the temple observes some rituals
like suddhi (cleaning
of the temple) etc., and the Moola Virat is adorned with
Velvet Gown from
Crown to the Feet and then the main deity is decorated with
flower garlands. This
service of the main deity being adorned exclusively with
garlands is known as
Poolangi Seva.
The Poolangi Seva is
mentioned in the Silappadikaram, the early Tamil Classic in
756 A.D.
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